The United Nations registered 20% more refugees to Bulgaria for the first six months of 2001, Louise Druke, coordinator of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees/UNHCR/ said at a meeting in Varna. UN statistics data shows that refugees with a permanent residence permit in Bulgaria increased up to 1,755 people from January to June 2001. 600 from the refugees are Macedonians. The introduction of visa-free three-month regulations for the residents of Bulgaria`s neighbouring countries allowed 9,500 Macedonians to reside in Bulgaria and Turkey in February. They returned to their homes after three months. The measure envisaged that in time of extreme military situations people could be rescued without being labelled by the receiving country as refugees. 17 million dollars have been put aside in case of a refugee wave in the Balkans. If it is necessary, the funds will be directed to Bulgaria, Macedonia, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Greece and Albania. Bulgaria`s bid for EU membership requires amendments in the Refugee Act, Druke also said.

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